Governor Cuomo Announces Veronique Hakim Will Serve as Interim Executive Director of the MTA

[Union Tpke]

Governor Cuomo Announces Veronique Hakim Will Serve as Interim Executive Director of the MTA

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January 30th, 2017 

Veronique Hakim, left, Tom Prendergast, right

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced has that Veronique Hakim will serve as the interim Executive Director of the MTA while a seven-person committee conducts a nationwide search for a permanent Chair and Chief Executive Officer. Hakim is a lifelong transportation professional who has spent more than 24 years at the MTA, including serving as President of New York City Transit since December 2015. MTA Vice Chairman Fernando Ferrer will serve as Acting Chairman during the search for a permanent replacement.

Current MTA Chairman and CEO Tom Prendergast is retiring from public service tomorrow after a 25-year career at the MTA.

The members of the search committee will be reviewing and recommending candidates to the Governor in the coming weeks. The search committee is comprised of:

• Tom Prendergast, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• Joseph Lhota, Senior Vice President and Vice Dean, Chief of Staff of NYU Langone Medical Center and Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• Fernando Ferrer, Vice Chairman of the MTA Board
• Kathryn Wylde, President and Chief Executive Officer of Partnership for NYC
• Scott Rechler, Chairman, Regional Planning Association and former Vice Chairman of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
• John Samuelsen, Executive Vice President of the Transport Workers Union
• Rodney Slater, Former United States Secretary of Transportation

“Ronnie Hakim is ready to embrace the challenge of running the nation’s largest transportation network during this transition. She is a true transportation professional who has dedicated her life to improving the commute for millions of New Yorkers and I am confident that in this new role she will continue doing that as we reimagine and modernize the MTA for the 21st century,” Governor Cuomo said. “Under the leadership of Tom Prendergast, the MTA has made dramatic progress - most recently with the successful opening of the long-awaited Second Avenue Subway – and I have directed the search committee to identify candidates who will build on his record of accomplishments. I look forward to receiving their recommendations.”

“Governor Cuomo rightly recognizes that the MTA will be in good hands with Ronnie Hakim,” said Tom Prendergast. “Ronnie has a deep understanding of our regional transportation network from her exemplary stewardship of New York City Transit to her time leading regional commuter rail and highway agencies. I wish her the best of luck and I look forward to serving on the search committee that will choose the next permanent leader of this agency.”

“I want to thank Governor Cuomo for entrusting me with this incredible responsibility and Tom Prendergast for the fine example he set during his years leading the MTA,” said Veronique Hakim. "The MTA has been my professional home for more than two decades. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as interim Executive Director leading the dedicated men and women who keep this region moving day in and day out.”

"The MTA is vital to the functioning of New York and it is the economic engine behind this region’s incredible growth,” said Fernando Ferrer. “Tom Prendergast set a high bar for leadership during his distinguished career at the MTA and it has been an honor to work with him. I am looking forward to assuming the Acting Chairman role and partnering with Ronnie Hakim while we conduct this search."

Hakim has served as President of New York City Transit since December 2015. Prior to that she served as the Executive Director of NJ TRANSIT for a year and a half, which operates 12 commuter rail lines, three light rail lines, 261 bus routes and Access Link paratransit service across the state of New Jersey. She previously served nearly four years as Executive Director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

[Trainmaster5]

Sorry, Wallyhorse. He probably misplaced your resume and phone number.

[Around the Horn]

Welp, looks like she definitely won't be chairwoman and CEO now...

[QM1to6Ave]

Look at that, Joe Lhota pops back up into the MTA scene

[TDXNYC88]

Godspeed to that man!

[Wallyhorse]

Sorry, Wallyhorse. He probably misplaced your resume and phone number.

   

[RR503]

Prendergast got quite a send off today at HQ. Well deserved if I may say so myself. Hope he enjoys relaxing!

[R10 2952]

If Hakim isn't on the shortlist for that search committee, then we'll probably end up with another idiot from real estate who has no idea what he's doing (*cough-KALIKOW-cough*).

Then again, even if Hakim is on the search party's list, the governor will probably impose his will and appoint an idiot from real estate anyway, since he already hinted that he wants a stooge with that kind of background.

 

Some prosecutor please indict Mario Jr; the people of New York have had enough of this gangster...

[Around the Horn]

If Hakim isn't on the shortlist for that search committee, then we'll probably end up with another idiot from real estate who has no idea what he's doing (*cough-KALIKOW-cough*).

Then again, even if Hakim is on the search party's list, the governor will probably impose his will and appoint an idiot from real estate anyway, since he already hinted that he wants a stooge with that kind of background.

 

Some prosecutor please indict Mario Jr; the people of New York have had enough of this gangster...

 

Is there even something to indict him for? I'd imagine if he was actually doing something illegal, he would have been arrested already like Skelos, Silver, Grimm and the rest of that rogues gallery.

[R10 2952]

There's been all kinds of allegations against him for years now, plus he's been known for underhanded tactics such as vetoing bills in the last hours before the New Year so that legislators can't override his vetoes.  The reason he hasn't been indicted is probably because not long after Skelos and Silver were taken down, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered a near-unanimous decision vacating former Virginia governor McDonnell's corruption conviction and raising the burden of proof required for prosecutors to charge public officials with corruption: http://www.usatoday....ernor/85886626/
 
I have no doubt that Andy Boy is corrupt, it's just that because of the McDonnell decision Bharara would literally have to catch Scum-o incriminating himself on tape using very specific language, or being photographed taking bribes.
 
What New York could really use is another Hugh L. Carey; he was a great governor compared to the two Cuomos...

[RR503]

Say whay you like about Cuomo and his motives/methods, he's done a lot.

TBH, I don't care if there is honest graft going on; its the actual bribery that bothers me. 

 

I do agree with your assessment of the next MTA head though. We're in for a bad few years. 

[Interested Rider]

In response to R10 2952's reference to the late great governor, Hugh L. Carey, I offer the following bit of information:

Hugh Carey was the person that saved New York City in 1975 when the then President Ford told us to "Drop Dead". He proved to be our greatest asset in terms of dealing with the Congress as he knew many of them from his time there, Whatever he did as a governor during this eight years in office, his greatest achievement was in providing the leadership that was necessary to make sure that our city did not enter bankruptcy. He is needed now more than ever with the "elected leaders" doing everything to make sure(heaven forbid) if a similar crisis develops, the congress will ignore us.

As far as the emperor is concerned, I am beginning to lean against him being indicted and it is connected with something that happened many years ago. I have read that there are problems with the preservation of much of the information from the governor that archivists will be looking for in the future. 

My position was  that I was under the impression that Ms. Hakim went back to the MTA that she was next in line for the promotion as I feel that she would have taken a job in another transit agency. if this possibility  did not exist at this time. I still hope that she will be chosen for the position as it will allow for Daryl Irick to move into her position.

[R10 2952]

Darryl Irick has already been named Acting President of New York City Transit; I think he's a good choice- who better to have than someone who's risen through the ranks from ground-level? Certainly better than one of those real-estate snobs that have been at the helm in years past...